Jeremaias Auromere
Lord Jeremaias Dominic Auromere is the present Baron of Redgold, a county in the once-abandoned Duchy of Ashfall in the Kingdom of Stormwind. He earned the rank of Knight-Lieutenant amongst the The First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade shortly after the end of the War against the Lich King. Later, he assisted in the formation of the Felbane Irregulars under Zacherias Hamlin, and served in the Silver Shield until recently. After returning to the First Regiment and rising again to the rank of Sergeant, Jeremaias was tasked by King Anduin (through his councillors) with reclaiming the Duchy of Ashfall, and promised lordship over "any and all lands you take in our name". History Childhood (12 - 30 L.C.) Jeremaias is the only son, and only surviving child, of Ezekias Auromere, Earl of Northlight Vigil, and his wife Delia. His is one of the oldest noble lines of Lordaeron, indeed predating the foundation of the kingdom itself. Like anyone else who lived in Lordaeron, they lost their holdings and any meaning to the title during the Third War, and have yet to recover them. Worse, Jeremaias lost his mother due to the coming of the Scourge, and father and son fled to Southshore--where Ezekias climbed into a bottle and never came back out. Shortly thereafter, Ezekias disappeared, and Jeremaias was left to shift for himself. He supported himself as a butcher's errand-boy, but after food and lodgings, seldom had two coins to rub together; he could have gone to the Orphanage, but his conscience demanded that if he could work and take care of himself, he should. His seriousness and self-reliance--and the frequent fights he got into with the local children--drew the attention of the parish priest, who distracted him from delinquency by giving him books. Jeremaias, between an undernourished body and a prodigious mind, took to the life of a scholar like the proverbial fish to water. At thirteen, he was sent to Northshire Abbey to study and become a priest. Unfortunately, getting in fistfights with one's classmates over everything from bullying to blasphemy was not part of the curriculum, and Jeremaias came within a hair's breadth of being expelled. But Brother Sammuel interceded, saying that the small, skinny youth's body would grow into the role his spirit was clearly made to fill: a paladin. Jeremaias struggled at first, but swiftly fulfilled Sammuel's expectations, and then far exceeded them. Stormwind Army (30 - 31 L.C.) Upon ordination at the age of 18, Jeremaias enlisted in the First Regiment of the Stormwind Army. He learned quickly to suppress his fiery temper, and slid to the other extreme: cool to the point of coldness, detached, and dutiful to the last. He became formal almost to a fault, which served him when he was swiftly promoted to Knight-Lieutenant. For the last months of his enlistment, he served as the Regiment's chief investigator for criminal and other matters, and revised the Field Manual chapter on Law Enforcement. Jeremaias was frequently injured as a result of his stubborn streak and willingness to sacrifice himself, including suffering temporary blindness due to repeated head traumas during the Defense of Lakeshire, and cardiac arrest during an expedition to Thundermar in the Twilight Highlands. Life as an Irregular (31 - 36 L.C.) Jeremaias eventually parted ways with the First Regiment, joining Zacherias Hamlin's militia known as the Felbane Irregulars. There, he pursued his secret obsession: study of the crystal technology of the draenei. He developed more than a few new applications for resonance and entanglement theories, which he carried with him when the Silver Shield, commanded by his friend Tolath Barthalomew, folded the Irregulars into their roster. For these years, he was deployed on highly confidential missions in hotspots around the world--and upon Tolath's injury and subsequent retirement, the Silver Shield found itself under the "direction" of SI:7. The call of this duty became unanswerable to Jeremaias, due to his oath as a paladin, and so he parted company with his former unit and went in search of another way to serve the Alliance. During these years, Jeremaias came upon investment opportunities many and varied, and his holdings and assets expanded drastically. It became almost unmanageable to him, until Riyaa, the sister of a draenei child he had rescued on Outland, offered to serve him as his steward. Between her efforts and his, the name "Auromere" became one heard frequently in economic news, and it even became rumored that he might be richer than many goblin trade princes. Back to the Army (36 L.C. - 37 L.C.) Jeremaias re-enlisted in the First Regiment, out of sentimentality and a desire to serve his old friend and mentor, Duke Maxen Montclair. Determined to do his duty and do it well, he conducted training sessions, led missions, coordinated a joint operation with the Stormwind Guard, spearheaded the reform of the Auxiliary Division of the Stormwind Army, and revised the Field Manual sections on Conduct, Logistics, and Law Enforcement. He regained the rank of Sergeant very quickly. Jeremaias, ever the scholar, was resolved to use his pet obsession--draenei crystal technology--to help improve and streamline the regiment's functioning. He spent much of his "spare" time in research and design, including examining the properties of the "singing blue crystals" that grow in basilisks' bodies, in hopes of finding a means to reverse and prevent the deadly spells they can cast. His fascination with crystal technology had to take a backseat to more pressing matters, however: the Legion invasion. He laid it aside in favor of compiling a manual on the races of the Burning Legion, their weaknesses, and how to exploit them in a military setting. Additionally, he assisted in organizing an assault on a Legion forge camp that had been established within Elwynn Forest; though he was critically injured, the operation was an overwhelming victory. Upward Mobility Through Nobility (37 L.C. - Present) After the success of this manual, Jeremaias received a request, ostensibly from King Anduin through Lord Phineas Townesende, to write a similar work on the hostile humanoid races that inhabit the realms of Stormwind. He completed it in record time. This proved the tipping point in some decision he was unaware was being made; he was suddenly, for this and many other of his works and exploits, named "baron in-chief-of-the-king" over Redgold, a county in Ashfall, and tasked with reclaiming the long-abandoned duchy for the kingdom and securing it against potential Legion incursions. Such a task requires Jeremaias' full attention, and he regretfully tendered his resignation to the Regiment. By August of 38 L.C., Auromere's forces had secured a full third of the Duchy of Ashfall, and begun the reconstruction and repopulation of several towns and cities. Among those are Bel Lonn, Cinderwatch, Fort Varian, Halimar, and Ironwall Keep. His enthusiasm and reputation for honesty and integrity have attracted many investors and settlers, and incurred a tremendous loyalty from them--so much so that, when Argus appeared in the sky, there were no riots or other disturbances. Jeremaias has additionally been called upon to assist with the rebuilding and restructuring of the courts of the Kingdom of Stormwind. He was elected Chief Justice over the courts on April 1. Auromere, taking seriously his oath of fealty to Stormwind, has led two major actions against threats to the kingdom and the world of Azeroth. In May of 38 L.C., he organized and headed up efforts to suppress new disruptions in the troubled province of Duskwood. In October of the same year, that coalition came together again, under his leadership, to defeat Edial Redblade, a rogue death knight who had amassed an army and nearly destroyed all life on Azeroth. In April of 39 L.C., a third threat would arise and be defeated, this time led by Maelydra Firestar and threatening to tear the fabric of reality and unleash the very nature of the Firelands upon Azeroth. During the second operation, Auromere was impaled through the chest with two steel spikes. He survived, but two of his ribs were destroyed, leaving him unable effectively to use normal plate armor or a shield. Recent operations in Ashfall itself have put him in possession of a mithril mine--but more important still than the mithril are the black diamonds that can be found in plenty there. As the mine is reactivated, Jeremaias now stands to recover all of the money he has invested in Ashfall, and more besides. As the Azerite War began to heat up, Auromere was elevated to a marshal in the Alliance military. It was explained to him by Field Marshal Dornis Breslin that Auromere's "skill set" meant that his order would be called upon to carry out dangerous and sometimes classified missions; in order to avoid interference with these missions by more rigid-minded military personnel, Command was according Auromere the rank of Marshal. (Breslin's actual quote was "This baton will convince idiots not to argue with you.") Appearance Jeremaias stands at a very average 5' 10". Still slender, he impresses one more as a well-built scholar than as a knight. He seems to exude a sense of order. Everything about him seems to have fallen into place without unnecessary fussing, and fallen in exceedingly well. His hair is neatly trimmed, as if it were only just cut, his face shaven very cleanly, and even his fingernails and teeth seem recently scrubbed. His armor is in good repair and polished, but there is nothing unnecessarily decorated; even the libram case on his belt is unadorned, save for the symbol of the Holy Light imprinted on it in silver. When he dresses in civilian clothing, it is typically unadorned but visibly expensive, and seems always freshly pressed. His face is thin, with high and well-shaped cheekbones, a clean and clear forehead, a narrow, clean-shaven jaw, a firm chin and lips. It is a face that seems untroubled, serious, and serene, with a cool and detached intelligence to it. On his nose is perched a pair of simple, wire-framed glasses that glint in whatever light there might be. He has, more than once, been called "pretty". When he speaks, it's quietly, with a calm, measured tone, as if every word were carefully considered; this so seldom changes, that it's a bad sign when he speaks otherwise. Soft, husky, and a rich baritone, his is a very soothing sort of voice, one that catches the ear right away. He has exactly two smiles: a dry, half-executed smile that hints at something that's amused him, and a quick, roguish flash of teeth that reminds you that he is, in fact, a young man with energy and ambition. Arms Jeremaias Auromere is a paladin, but due to injuries sustained in October of 38 L.C., he is no longer able to wear plate armor or use a shield. He now wears leather armor, and is currently training on the use of firearms. His longsword, Kuren'icta, is of draenei forging, which he wields to honor its former owner and his late friend, Vindicator Khaatri. When on horseback, he uses a lance. As he was raised and educated to be a knight, he is quite competent with any weapon, including bows, and he is skilled at boxing and grappling; it is his oaths as a paladin that limit his arsenal. But though steel answers most of his purposes, he is notably very powerful as a wielder of the Light, both offensively and defensively. He has fought in many battles and come away with not a scratch, but leaving a wide swath of destruction behind him, and has significant skill as a magical healer. Of late, his skill with creating shields of Light is growing substantially, recently protecting six people from an extended shower of magma without the shield faltering. Personality To Jeremaias Auromere, ideal and principle are one, or at least ought to be, and so he will make efforts to implement them. If reality does not conform, he will exert his considerable talents to bringing it closer. Despite being skeptical about the relative virtues of his fellow beings, he is a very positive thinker and actor. When met with a setback, he rebounds quickly and forms a plan of action. Contrary to the stereotype of the zealot, Jeremaias is a fluid, creative thinker, and combines this with compassion and empathy. To him, there is very little more personal than his energy, his time, and his help--things of which he has absolutely limited amounts, and so are infinitely priceless in his estimation. He is hesitant to waste people's time, or to approach people without a purpose; it is a form of respect for him. His conversations are always purposeful and thoughtful, and he is less likely to speak if he hasn't anything of substance to say. He seems fully to understand authority, and respects it--and expects his own to be respected in turn. He does not bluster and threaten; he simply behaves as if not respecting authority were out of the question. Corrections, when issued, are done quietly at first: reminders of what he expects his subordinates to know already. If he arrives at the point of barking a correction at someone, that person is likely in the path of more serious disciplinary action. Despite his respect for authority, however, Jeremaias is an egalitarian; he judges people not on birth or circumstances, but on their choices and acts. He is very approachable, and prefers to shake hands rather than bowing. There are too many things to accomplish to waste time standing on ceremony. As a magistrate, Jeremaias abides by the principle of "innocent until proven guilty", and prefers to exercise his power sparingly. He will err on the side of leniency in the interests of being just. He is very ambitious, although it is driven by his sense of justice and a desire to be of service, more than a sense of ego. He may speak of what he is owed--but not in a sense of what he is owed, so much as what is owed. He seeks status and position, to use them to improve the world around him. Jeremaias is typically unwilling to discuss his religious beliefs, a curious thing in a paladin. This may be related to rumors that the people of Northlight worshipped a heathen, pre-Church deity. Relationships * Ezekias Auromere. Jeremaias both resents his wayward father, and longs to be a family once again. Though he chases down leads on where the drunken old man might have gone, they have not seen one another in years. * Isobel de Stopham. The leader of the survivors of the unfortunate Pinehold resettlement effort, Isobel has been baroness since she was a small child; fourteen years later, the Knights of Ashfall swept in, and everything she had ever known changed. She began by regarding the black-armored knight with suspicion and apprehension; but Jeremaias' obvious concern for her people, as well as his demonstrated belief in what he professes, won her over. They have fallen in love, and are engaged. * Tolath Barthalomew. These two are fast friends. For eight long years they have served together, across Azeroth and across time and space. Tolath and Jeremaias regard one another as brothers. * Riyaa and Suuria. Jeremaias met the sisters in Shattrath City on Outland, when Suuria was kidnapped by arakkoa for sacrifice. Jeremaias rescued Suuria, and helped the two out of the slums and into prosperity by making Riyaa his business manager. Riyaa has married and moved on, but Suuria, now grown, remains as his recruitment officer and assistant, and is unswervingly loyal to him. * Tim Lurtle. Jeremaias considers the barrister--now Lord High Prosecutor--a good friend. He is unaware of Tim's involvement with the Melrony Crime Family. Trivia * Jeremaias' precise title is difficult to pin down. He has lordship over all lands he reclaims, including two counties, which should make him a count. However, to make a foreign-born citizen a duke right out of the gate would have engendered at least hard feelings among the peerage. To correct this, he was made "Baron in-chief-of-the-king", which is an older title from a time when nobility was less stratified; it approximately means that he holds a title of nobility and answers directly to King Anduin, permitting him a great deal of flexibility and making him nebulously equal to a duke in status. * Jeremaias has the occasional ability to force a person into a meditative state, where they are confronted with full awareness of all of their most evil acts. He uses this extremely sparingly, usually as an interrogation tactic. * Plays the violin. He is better at folk fiddling than more formal styles, though no slouch at either. The violin is of Alteraci make, and belonged to his mother. * Speaks and reads five languages fluently: Common, Orcish, Thalassian, Draeneiis, and Duveille, the largely extinct language often spoken in backwoods, northeastern Lordaeron. * Has translated several texts on jewelcrafting from Draeneiis into Common. * Will never eat sweets if he can avoid it. * Favorite color is green. * Heterosexual. No exceptions. * Thumbs are double-jointed at the first knuckle. Palmistry establishes his ruling element as Air. * His handwriting is extremely neat and almost microscopic. * He typically answers to the nicknames of "Jere" or "Jem". "Jeremy" was his nickname as a child, and very few people are allowed to call him that. * His name transliterates neatly into Draeneiis as "Oromir". Many draenei refer to him as such. Bibliography * The Jungle Trolls of Stranglethorn: History and Culture * Races of the Burning Legion * Chapters of the Stormwind Army Field Manual: ** General Orders and Conduct ** Ranks and Duties ** Logistics ** Law Enforcement * Enemies Next Door: Hostile Races in the Kingdom of Stormwind * Jewelcrafting: Basic Gemology and Lapidary * Stormwind Rules of Criminal Procedure (cooperative with Arranax DeVin and Galmone W. Smith) * Stormwind Rules of Evidence (cooperative with Arranax DeVin) Gallery File:Jeremias.jpg|Sir Jeremaias in the library of Stormwind Keep. File:Jere Violin.png|Playing his violin. Category:Human Category:The First Regiment Category:Paladins Category:The Silver Shield Category:Lordaeron Peerage Category:Stormwind Peerage Category:Cavalry Category:Knights of Ashfall Category:Authors Category:Brotherhood of the Horse Category:Magistrates Category:Lordaeronian